The Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework of the City of Cape Town (CCT) has planned for an activity corridor linking the Bellville Central Business District with the proposed Philippi City employment node.

This project would complete the Order 2 arterial road link within the proposed activity corridor, which is intended to provide greater accessibility to many poor communities.

The N2 Gateway Housing project will create residential development along the eastern edge of the proposed Symphony Way Extension.

Various consortia were appointed by the CCT to build approximately 16 400 low income housing units in Delft. Symphony Way Extension will then provide a road link to the new housing developments as well as provide an essential public transport route.

The Vula Joint Venture Consortium (Vula JV), comprising Vela VKE Consulting Engineers, Camdekon Consulting Engineers, Martin and East Civil Engineering Contractors and Jansens Tarmac, were appointed by the CCT to plan, design and construct Symphony Way Extension as a managed turnkey project.

The scope of the project includes the design and construction of the extension of the existing Symphony Way from Delft Main Road in southern Delft to Stellenbosch Arterial Road in Belhar. Further, the scope of the investigation also has to include the provision of facilities for public transport, pedestrians and bicycles along the road.
The design and construction of the first phase, which comprised 6 km of single carriageway, with pedestrian and cycle lanes, has already been completed within 24 months, at a cost of approximately R50million.

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N2 Widening
The eastbound section between Vanguard Drive (N7) and Modderdam Road is currently being tarred. Earthworks are still taking place between Modderdam Rd and Borcherd's Quarry Rd for the additional lanes. Surfacing should begin in a month or two.

Airport Approach Rd Interchange
Pylon construction over the N2 proceeding well, widening of the off and onramps will begin soon as earthworks progress to widen access from the Airport to N2 westbound.

Koeberg Interchange
Pylon foundations complete on M5 side, with construction of pylons commencing. Salt River realignment earthworks well advanced. N1 sector pylon construction has yet to begin. Earthworks minimal on the N1 side of the project.

R300 (Kuils River Parkway Upgrade)
Surveying and marking of project scope progressing. Earth clearing taking place in southern sections near N2. Expansion of lanes from 2-2 to 3-3 will take place towards the median.

The provincial transport department has rubbished allegations by the DA that delays in the construction of two major highways would cost taxpayers R75-million extra and that they would not be ready for the 2010 World Cup.

The DA issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the Koeberg Interchange and Table Bay Boulevard would not be completed in time.

DA spokesperson on transport Robin Carlisle alleged that Transport MEC Marius Fransman was personally responsible for the delays because he pushed for the tenders to go to one particular contractor.

But Fransman dismissed the accusations as nothing more than "an attempt to gain political mileage".

Carlisle said that, in addition to the two major highways, the rehabilitation of another road, the Whitebridge N2 access to Knysna, would also be delayed.

He said work on the Koeberg Interchange had started six months behind schedule. Tenders for Table Bay Boulevard and Whitebridge had not yet been issued, even though they were meant to be awarded three months ago, he said.

According to Carlisle, these delays would be subject to escalation costs of up to 13 percent, or R75-million, a burden the taxpayers would essentially have to bear. He said contractors and provincial sources had informed him that Fransman had caused more delays because of his "interference in trying to ensure" that the contracts were awarded to Vusela Construction.

However, Fransman said all three projects were on track and the phases that had initially been set out to be completed for 2010 would be finished. He acknowledged that, since they were multibillion-rand projects, all three roads would not be fully completed by the World Cup; however, this had been known from the outset.

"There will be pressure on the contractors in terms of time because there are a host of requirements according to the contract. For example, they must empower small contractors and create broad-based BEE opportunities," said Fransman.

The R690-million contract for the Koeberg Interchange was awarded to Group Five and Power Construction in April in a joint venture.

Fransman's spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said that, contrary to Carlisle's claims, the Whitebridge tender had been awarded to Hawn Inglis more than two months ago and they were "already on site". The Table Bay Boulevard contract would be awarded "soon".

Ntabazalila said Fransman had "nothing to do" with the awarding of contracts. He said an independent committee was responsible for tenders.

Fransman said: "I'm not going to engage with the DA in making petty politics of road construction … they will be challenged. There are no delays that will cripple any of the projects."

* This article was originally published on page 4 of The Cape Argus on July 24, 2008

NOTE:Does anyone know about this Table Bay Blvd tender? That's the freeway stretch of N1 from Buitengracht to the M5... is this to be upgraded too? What is the scope of that project. Someone that knows the ins and outs (like Super-MoRush), see if we can't wrangle some contacts and get some info... Pretty Pretty Please

The construction of the different components of the complete Koeberg Interchange Upgrade Scheme is to be
separated into three phases, as follows:
Phase 1 comprises the following components:
 One new additional lane along the eastbound N1 carriageway between Marine Drive and the Sable
Road Interchange.
 A new uni-directional ramp from the westbound N1 carriageway to the southbound M5 carriageway.
 A new uni-directional ramp from the northbound M5 carriageway to the eastbound N1 carriageway.
 The reconfiguration of the existing ramp from the eastbound N1 carriageway to the southbound
Koeberg Road/M5 carriageway.
 The reconfiguration of the existing ramp from the westbound N1 carriageway to the southbound
Koeberg Road/M5 carriageway.
 Lane adjustments along each of the N1 eastbound and westbound carriageways between the Sable
Interchange and the two new uni-directional ramps.
 The provision of one additional lane along each of the M5 northbound and southbound carriageways
between the Berkley Interchange northern ramps and the two new uni-directional ramps.
 A re-alignment of a section of the Salt River Canal adjacent to the northbound M5 carriageway. A
description of this re-alignment of the Salt River Canal is included with Appendix G3.
 New highmast lighting to Koeberg Interchange.

Phase 2 comprises the following components:
 The two-way busway through Koeberg Interchange.

Phase 3 comprises the following components:
 One new additional lane along the westbound N1 carriageway between the Sable Road Interchange
and Marine Drive.
 The reconfiguration of the existing ramp from the westbound N1 carriageway to the northbound
Koeberg Road carriageway.
 The reconfiguration of the existing ramp from the southbound Koeberg Road carriageway to the
westbound N1 carriageway.
 Additional lanes on sections of both the northbound and southbound Koeberg Road carriageways.

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Oh... Makes me sad... thought it may be a bit more, like straightening out those dumb-ass tight curves, some widening, redoing that abortion that is Paarden Island (R27) Interchange and maybe, just maybe (if it snows in Harare!) doing something about the incomplete foreshore fly-over. I'm just in a wishful thinking mode!